


Five times Merlin got lost in the Tube and one time he didn’t

by Aeris444



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-25
Updated: 2014-03-25
Packaged: 2018-01-17 11:25:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1385896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeris444/pseuds/Aeris444
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin arrives in London and, of course, he gets lost. And then he meets the biggest prast he has ever known.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [clotpoleLis (plantainleaf)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/plantainleaf/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Reversebb art](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/42472) by clotpolelis. 



> Thanks to [](http://clotpolelis.livejournal.com/profile)[**clotpolelis**](http://clotpolelis.livejournal.com/) for her wonderful art! Thanks to [](http://derenai.livejournal.com/profile)[**derenai**](http://derenai.livejournal.com/) for the beta-reanding and the cheerleading! Thanks to [](http://osky291.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://osky291.livejournal.com/)**osky291** for the last minute beta-reading and her great advices!

1\. Waterloo Station

The train stopped and Merlin looked through the window pane. He was there, finally. After hours of train ride, he was finally in London.

He stood up and followed the other commuters. The train wasn’t packed. Merlin supposed it would have been very different in the morning.

When he stepped on the platform, Merlin took a deep breath. He was trying to realize he was in London. Early in the morning, his mom had driven him to Lyndhurst, the nearest town to Knight Wood where he had taken a coach to Southampton and then the train to London.

These stop-offs had helped Merlin get used to the changes he would face in London, from the little ranger house lost in Knight Wood to the big capital city.  
Merlin followed the other passengers to the great hall, pulling his heavy suitcase behind him. It was an old one, covered in an awful plaid fabric and Merlin’s mum had had to patch it more than once. But it didn’t really matter. It was what was inside that really counted.

When Merlin arrived in the main hall, he gasped. It was really huge and there were so many people walking around, so many shops and desks. How was he going to find his way there? His uncle had given him some indications. He had to take the Northern line to Tottenham Court Road then take the Central line to Notting Hill Gate and then, the Circle or the District Line to Bayswater.

Merlin had printed the Tube Map at home and learned the trip by heart. He remembered his last trip to London, when he had only been a teen. His English teacher organized an annual trip to the capital. He had been quite impressed by the city. It was so big with so many people running around. And the Tube was so crowded. Not to mention the fact that it was hard for Merlin to process where he was going when he was underground. But Merlin still had good memories of this trip. And that was part of why he was there now.

Merlin had studied computer science in Southampton and was freshly graduated. At first, he had tried to find a job in Lyndhurst, where he had went to high school and where some of his best friends lived but it was hard as it was just a small town. So when his Uncle Gaius had offered him a job in his computer shop in London, Merlin had immediately fetched his old suitcase from the attic and looked at the train schedule. London was the perfect city if he wanted to find his dream job: working for a big video game company. And if that turned out to be Camelot Inc., it would just be an added bonus.

Merlin looked around him again. He needed to spot the Tube sign and find the Northern line platform. As he was on ground level, he guessed he had to take one of the escalators to go down. He walked, his eyes up, searching for a board that would tell him where to go when he collided with something solid. Something living, too, according to the outraged cry that came just after the fall.

Merlin looked down to discover a man, sitting on the floor. He was nearly of Merlin’s age and was wearing a formal suit.

“Oh! Sorry! Sorry ! Really, I’m sorry… I didn’t see you. I was looking for the Tube… The Northern Line and I was looking up so I didn’t see you.”

“Will you stop gibbering and help me up?” the guy asked in a very posh tone.

Merlin held out his hand but didn’t stop apologizing.

“But, you know, I’m really sorry… I didn’t want to make you fall! And…”

“I hope you didn’t do it on purpose,” the man said, dusting his suit. “But you should look where you are going. London is a big city for country people like you.”

The scorn in the stranger’s voice was unmistakable.

“Country people? “ Merlin repeated

”Look at your suitcase! “ The guy added with a small laugh.

“I didn’t know Londoners were such prats!” Merlin answered, feeling angry at this stranger who was judging him without even knowing him for more than two minutes.

“Prats? Is that some kind of peasant dialect?”

“No it’s just the perfect word to describe people like you who think they’re better than everybody else just because they have shiny hair, wear Armani suits and live in penthouses!”

“Wow… A rebellious peasant… And just to let you know, it’s Dolce and Gabbana!”

And with that, the guy left.

Merlin kept fuming for some time before realizing he was going to be late and resumed his search for the Tube.

***

Merlin managed to take the Central line in the wrong direction but realized it after only one stop. He didn’t get lost after that and considered it as a small exploit. In the end he was only fifteen minutes late. Gaius welcomed him warmly and showed him his small apartment. From the exterior, the house was big and well-kept but Gaius’ flat was small and old-fashioned. Merlin loved it immediately, though. Probably due to the bookshelves that covered a whole wall in the living room, the comfortable looking couch and the small balcony with a view on the backyard.

Merlin settled in the guest room. It was small and smelled musty but it would do for the first weeks.

Then Gaius made them dinner and they talked about Hunith, Merlin’s mother, and life in Knight Wood.

When Merlin got to sleep, he was smiling. It was a new start for him and he felt like it would bring happiness in his life.

***

Days turned into weeks and Merlin was settling easily in his new life. He loved his job with Gaius. His Uncle had asked him to take care of the repairs and putting together the custom-made computers. It was exactly what Merlin liked to do. Since he was a teenager and had bought his first second-hand computer, he had always loved to open them up and fiddle with the pieces. He had managed to make a very powerful computer with only second hand pieces when he was barely sixteen. After that, it had only been a logical path to become a computer technician.

Merlin was also getting used to living in London. The big city still intimidated him a bit and he still got lost nearly every time he had to take the Tube to a destination other than Gaius’ shop but he loved how the city buzzed with activity. But what amazed him the most was that in London you could find so many different types of location. Small calm parks, big shopping avenues, beautiful streets with big white houses aligned on each side, small twisted alleys, etc. Everything you could want was there, only a few Tube stations away. That made Merlin feel free, more than he had ever felt living in the middle of the forest. Sometimes, he still missed it, though. The nature, hearing the birds sing from everywhere around him, getting lost among the trees and trying to find his way back before the night, encountering small animals that were not afraid of him because they barely saw humans. That had been a constant part of Merlin’s life till his departure for London and it was impossible to forget it. Merlin didn’t regret his decision to come to the capital, though.

That day, Merlin was working on a custom-made computer. Something fancy, quite expensive but not as efficient as it could have been for such a price. Probably an order from someone who didn’t know a lot about computers.

The doorbell rung and Merlin sighed. He didn’t like to be interrupted but Gaius was in the cellar, checking their stock. Merlin left his work and went to the counter. A man was waiting. He was wearing a woollen coat, had his hands in his pocket. A bright red scarf was tied around his neck, contrasting with his light skin and blond hair. He was looking at the graphics boards on a shelf. He didn’t fit in the small shop. He seemed more like a guy who only bought Apple computers, wanting to impress by the sleekness of his laptop more than by his efficiency. Merlin hated that kind of people.

“Hello. How can I help you?”

The man turned to face Merlin who immediately recognized him. The man from Waterloo Station.

“You!” they both exclaimed at the same time.

“I didn’t know Gaius helped lost tourists,” the man said, disdainful.

“Wow… You’re even more a prat than I thought. And what are you doing here? You know, we don’t sell fancy Apple computers, here.”

The man laughed making Merlin grit his teeth. He was a customer after all, Merlin had to try to stay calm and polite.

“I’m here to fetch my order.”

Merlin offered him a perfunctory nod and took the order book. He tried to guess which of the computers he had assembled in the past week was destined to this man.

“Your name?”

“Pendragon. Arthur Pendragon.”

Merlin froze.

“You’re kidding?” he asked, looking at the posh guy on the other side of the counter.

“Do I need to show you my ID card? I’m quite a loyal customer, you know.”

It was impossible! That man couldn’t be Arthur Pendragon! Not the Arthur Pendragon, the art director of Camelot Inc., the man who had made Merlin’s favourite game, the man Merlin admired the most in the video game industry.

“Oh Arthur!” Gaius’ voice made Merlin jump.

“Gaius!”

Merlin looked at the two men warmly shaking hands. A smile had even appeared on Arthur’s face.

“So? You’re here to fetch your new baby?”

“Yes. Is everything in order?”

“Of course. I’ve taken care of it myself.”

Merlin understood then why he hadn’t spotted Arthur’s name in the order book.

Arthur nodded and Gaius disappeared again in the back of the shop.

“So… Do you still think I’m a… what did you say? Prat?” Arthur added with a smirk.

“Still a prat,” Merlin maintained, “but I’m still a fan of your work… Just disappointed.”

“What did you expect? A geek with a funny t-shirt and a thick rimmed glasses.”

“Something like that, yes.”

“Sorry if I don’t meet your expectations.”

A faint smile appeared on Merlin’s lips.. Arthur was well known in the video games industry as he was the youngest man to ever been appointed as an art director in a big company, aged barely 21. Some said that the fact he had been the son of the CEO, Uther Pendragon had helped him. The true experts knew better that than. Arthur had graduated from the King’s College School of Arts at only 20 and he had already worked on two best-seller games from Camelot Inc. Merlin He had admired Arthur Pendragon’s work for years, had played all the games he had worked on and now he was there, bantering with that man.

“I suppose I can survive the shock.”

It was Arthur’s turn to smile.

Then Gaius came back, carrying a heavy box. Merlin went to help him.

“Here you are Arthur. Exactly like you asked.”

“I trust you with that Gaius, thank you! Send the invoice to the office, they will take care of it.”

“Of course.”

Then Arthur turned to Merlin.

“We’ll see each other soon, I guess.”

Merlin nodded and then Arthur left with a simple goodbye.

 

 

 

 

 

2\. Hammersmith

Merlin had been in London for six months and he was still loving working for Gaius and living in the capital.

Gaius was now letting him take care of the best customers’ orders, too. Arthur Pendragon was clearly one of their most faithful visitors. He came nearly every week. Sometimes to order a particular spare item, sometimes to check if there was any novelty in their catalogue and sometimes because one of his computers needed some fixing. Merlin had learned that he owned at least four different ones. A sleek and fancy laptop, a more normal desktop computer that he used mostly to go on Internet, chat with his friends and things like that, another one, more powerful, on which he worked from home and then, the most impressive, the one from his office. Even if this one was probably owned by the company, Arthur still brought it for repair himself and improved it regularly.

Due to Arthur’s weekly visits, Merlin had many occasions to see him. At first, Merlin was still a little impressed by Arthur, but soon he relaxed and they resumed their teasing. Each time Arthur came, Merlin welcomed him with a “Hello you prat. How was your day? Have you met enough boot-lickers today?” or something along those lines. Arthur always answered by calling Merlin a peasant and wondering how he survived in the big city.

It was mostly funny and Merlin was always smiling when he saw Arthur’s red sports car park in front of the shop. Gaius often looked at them with an inquisitive gaze, one of his eyebrows so high Merlin wondered how it didn’t get stuck up there.

Sometimes, Arthur had some free time so he stayed longer in the shop. Merlin and he always ended up talking about computers, of course, though, they also got to know each other’s likes and dislikes. Merlin often ended up teasing Arthur about his expensive tastes when Arthur made fun of Merlin’s quirks.

If Merlin hadn’t known better, it would have looked like they were becoming friends. But Arthur had never suggested they see each other apart from their meetings at the shop so Merlin had guessed a rich and well-known man like Arthur didn’t care for a poor little computer technician. He was just being polite, nothing more and, unlike Merlin, he probably had lots of friends in town with whom he spent his evenings and weekends.

That realization came suddenly for Merlin. Even if he was happy with his new life, he was quite lonely in London. Apart from Gaius, he didn’t know anybody. The lady that owned the bakery down the street clearly didn’t count even if Merlin went to see her every day or even sometime twice a day when in need of an emergency cupcake.

So, that day, when he came back to Gaius’ flat, Merlin felt quite down. He skipped supper and went to his room. Isolating himself from Gaius would not fix his loneliness but he needed some time to think. Back in Knight Wood, he always had people around him. His mother of course; Will, his best friend since they went to the same nursery school; Freya, the daughter of the gamekeeper who lived on the other side of the woods; he’d also become friends with some of the kids that came for a walk in the woods with their parents weekly. And then there were the friends he had met during his studies first in Lyndhurst and in Southampton.

He was still in touch with most of them. He phoned his mom thrice a week, received long emails from Will and Freya and some messages on Facebook from the others. But that wasn’t enough. Merlin craved a closer presence in his life, somebody he could go exploring the city with, somebody he could go for lunch with, somebody he could confide in.

He thought about Gwaine, too. His ex-boyfriend. Gwaine and he had split up two months before Merlin had left for London. When he had told Gwaine about Gaius’ offer and his plans to accept it and go live in the capital, Gwaine had thought it was just a way to break up with him. Merlin had tried to explain that he wished Gwaine could come to London too, that he wanted their relationship to work even if they had to live apart for some time but whatever Merlin had said, Gwaine hadn’t believed him. Merlin had gotten over his break-up but it only made him feel lonelier to think about Gwaine. Merlin decided to talk about his feelings to Freya. She had always been there to help him. He wrote her a long email, telling her everything about Arthur and their strange relationship and how he had realized how alone he was.  
When he went to sleep, Merlin wasn’t crushed by his feeling of loneliness anymore.

***

The next day, when Arthur came to fetch a new ventilator for his computer, Merlin pretended to be very busy to avoid small talk with him. He wasn’t ready for this.  
Freya answered him later that day. She told him he was allowed to feel alone even if he had decided to go to London. Reading this already made Merlin feel better. Then she suggested he looked for a flat that he could share with some other people. That sounded like a great idea! Merlin loved Gaius dearly but living with the old man in the small flat wasn’t always easy. And now that Merlin was earning a salary he could look for something else.

An hour later, Merlin had already found some classified ad that could be interesting.

His enthusiasm deflated quickly in the next few days, though, when he realized most of the ads were really not truthful. In fact most of the flats he visited were smaller than announced or in a worse state.

After a month of unsuccessful searching, Merlin was feeling miserable again. And, for the first time, he started to question his decision to come to London.

***

“Wow… You look like somebody just killed your puppy,” Arthur said as a matter of hello.

“Yeah… Not everybody can afford fancy creams that make them look fresh and young even when you’re hung-over,” Merlin replied without looking at Arthur.

“Are you hung-over?”

“No… Just a bit down.”

Merlin waited for Arthur to make fun of him, as always. He didn’t expect him to lean over the counter and ask with a gentle voice he had never heard: “Want to talk about it?”

Merlin was so surprised he didn’t answer immediately.

“But if you don’t want to talk about your life with me, it’s okay, you know,” Arthur said as if it didn’t matter. But Merlin could see in his eyes that he was hurt.

“No… It’s just I didn’t think you cared,” Merlin explained.

“Of course I care! You really think I’m a heartless prat?”

A small smile appeared on Merlin’s lips.

“You said prat… That’s my word, you know!”

Arthur smiled, too.

“So, tell me, what’s making you look so sad?”

“I’m looking for a flat.”

“Gaius is kicking you out?”

“No no! I just want to be a little more independent and… I was thinking of a shared flat, to meet new people and make friends here in London.”

“Oh, I see…”

“But it seems that every interesting ad is full of lies. The flats I’ve visited were minuscule or humid. I even saw a rat in one of them! And I don’t tell you about the flatmates!” Merlin explained with an air of disgust.

“I think I can help you.”

“What?” Merlin looked at Arthur. Was he offering to share his flat with Merlin?

“My sister’s best friend owns a small house in London. She was sharing it with a friend that left for France two weeks ago. She’s looking for a housemate.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah… She already interviewed some people but she hasn’t found the right one yet so, if you want, I can arrange a meeting. What do you think?”

“That would be great! But she’s not into vampirism, isn’t she?”

“You really found a guy like that?” Arthur asked, incredulous.

“Yep… The flat was painted in black with heavy curtains and the guy asked me if I liked to eat garlic!”

They both burst out laughing.

“Ok, I’ll phone Gwen later and let you know when you can go visit her house!”

“That’s great! Thank you, Arthur.”

“It’s nothing.”

Arthur smiled. He had a beautiful smile when he let go of his posh attitude, Merlin noticed.

“So, what do you want today?” Merlin asked as Arthur clearly wasn’t there only for talking with him.

“Gaius told me you received the new graphic tablets catalogue.”

“Oh yes! Here it is!”

Merlin handed Arthur the catalogue, feeling hopeful for the first time all day.

***

Merlin looked at the Tube map on the wall once again. How he had managed to end up in Paddington on his way to Hammersmith was past his understanding. He looked at the map, trying to find the shortest way to reach his destination.

Finally, everything made sense. He had just taken the Circle line in the wrong way. So he only had to find the other platform and take the Tube back to Hammersmith!

Merlin ran in the station as he clearly was getting late. He couldn’t believe it! He had managed to be on time for all his other appointments only to find seedy apartments or mad flatmates. And now that he was pretty sure it would be worth the travel, he managed to get lost.

Merlin sighed as he took an escalator. He really should be more attentive on the Tube. It wasn’t that hard to just take the right line, in the right direction! It seemed that everybody was quite apt to do it without too much trouble.

Finally Merlin reached the platform. He double checked he was on the right one before relaxing a little. If everything went well, he would be only ten minutes late.

***

“We apologize for the delay but the computer controlling the signaling at Wood lane is currently out of order.”

Merlin was doomed. He’d been stuck in the middle of nowhere for fifteen minutes now and apart from the same announcement telling them there was a computer failure (oh ironic!), he had no idea when they would restart. And of course he didn’t have any signal so he was unable to let Gwen know he was going to be late.

He was going to miss a wonderful opportunity just because he was unable to get around London without getting lost.

Merlin put his head in his hand and sighed.

***

Half an hour later, Merlin arrived in front of Gwen’s house. It was a white house with a bow window and bushes in front of it. The street seemed calm but wasn’t far away from the Tube station. It was even more than Merlin was looking for.

But he was probably too late. Gwen wouldn’t want to hear his excuse and would say she didn’t want a housemate who was unable to arrive on time for an important meeting.

Merlin hesitated before going to the front door. He rang the doorbell, hoping Gwen would not be too harsh with him.

***

Two hours later, Merlin was back to Hammersmith station, a wide grin illuminating his face. Gwen had been wonderful. She had listened to him and told him it really wasn’t a problem he was late. She even offered him a sympathetic smile when he explained his tendency to get lost.

Then, she offered to show the house to Merlin. It was perfect in every way. Spacious but homey, well-decorated. There was a big room and a small bathroom to rent. The kitchen, the living- and the dining-room would be shared. There was also a little laundry room and an attic that Gwen never fitted out. She would let it to Merlin if he wanted to do something out of it as Gwen already had a study.

Even the rent fitted Merlin’s budget.

After the visit, Gwen offered tea and cupcakes to Merlin and, without realizing it, they talked for more than an hour.

The lease agreement was signed before Merlin left and they decided he would move in a week later.

In a day, Merlin had found a place to live and a friend. It was really a great day after all!

 

 

 

 

 

** 3\. Sloane Square **

“Merlin! Arthur is there!” Gaius called from the front of the store as Merlin was fixing a computer in the back.

“I’m coming!”

In the course of a few months, Arthur had become Merlin’s favourite customer and, in a surprising way, Merlin’s friend, too.

As Merlin was now living with Gwen, Morgana was often spending evenings with them.

The first time she brought her brother along, Merlin had been suspicious. Even if Arthur had helped him find a house, he was still a prat most of the time and they spent nearly all their encounters at the shop bickering.

Surprisingly, the evening was a success. They ordered some Chinese take-out and sat on the floor around the coffee table to eat. Arthur let Merlin have a taste of his beef with ginger when Merlin offered him some of his crispy duck. Of course the exchange ended in a chopsticks battle and laughter.

Then, they decided to watch some movies. The girls wanted some romantic comedy while the boys opted for a thriller. In the end, they watched both, still sprawled on the floor, drinking beers.

Merlin ended the evening with his head in Arthur’s lap, slightly drunk.

After that night, they tumbled in a strange kind of friendship. There still was a lot of banter and teasing but Merlin was not thinking that Arthur was a posh spoiled brat anymore and Arthur had stopped calling him a peasant.

Still it seemed they were not able to stay away from each other for a very long time. Arthur came nearly every day to the shop to have lunch with Merlin. They also spent the weekends together, alone or with the girls and some other friends.

And when they couldn’t be with each other, they just exchanged messages. Lots of messages!

“Merlin, I’ve designed the most beautiful elf bow you ever seen!” “Show me tonight! I’ll cook pasta”

“I can’t believe that customer managed to let her laptop fall in the bathtub!” “Girls masturbate, too you know.” “Dirty!”

“I have an idea for a new game! I need to talk to someone about it…” “I would love to listen but I need to work, you know…” “Merlin?” “No! I’ve got three computers to fix before tomorrow.” “Please?” “Ok… I’ll take the afternoon off. Bring fish and chips for lunch.”

“Fancy a movie night?” “At yours?” “Of course, you’ll love my big posh leather couch so much.” “You’ll not let me eat popcorn on it! So come to mine, Gwen is out!”

In the end, it was probably not a conventional friendship but ite was sincere nonetheless. And Merlin felt happier than ever. Between his job and his new friends, his life in London was exceeding his expectations.

***

When Merlin saw the email, he checked the sender’s name a second time, but it still read “Gwaine”, his ex-boyfriend. Merlin thought it was a spam but the title looked genuine so he opened it.

_Hi Merlin!_

_I know you haven’t heard from me for a long time but I wanted to check in with you._

_Will told me you had moved to London now so I suppose it wasn’t just a way for you to dump me. You’re really starting a new life._

_I hope everything is going well for you. I’m still living in Lyndhurst. We decided to extend the salon and hire a trainee._

_Leon says hello, too._

_I hope you’ll respond to this email… I know we didn’t part on friendly terms but I hope we can try to be friends again._

_XXX_

_Gwaine_

Merlin read the email three times. It didn’t really make sense. Since their split up, Gwaine hadn’t tried to contact Merlin so why was he doing so now? It had taken Merlin a month to get over Gwaine and now that he was settling in London, he really didn’t want to go back to him. He decided not to answer. He didn’t delete the message, though.

***

Merlin was so concentrated on his task he didn’t hear Gwen come in.

“Merlin? What exactly are you doing?”

“Oh Gwen, I didn’t hear you…”

“I suppose you were too busy planning a war or something,” Gwen said as she put her bag on the coffee table, between empty coffee mugs, sharpies and post-it notes.

“Oh now, it’s just that I have a date,” Merlin answered.

“A date?” Gwen shrieked as she jumped over papers to kneel next to Merlin. “You’ve met someone and didn’t tell me!”

“It’s not a date like that,” Merlin explained as he continued to point places on the huge Tube map spread on the floor.

“So, do you have a date or not?”

“Arthur has invited me so, you see, it’s not really a date.”

Gwen chuckled. “And where did he invite you?”

“The Five Fields,” Merlin answered after checking the restaurant’s name on a note.

“Are you kidding me?” Gwen exclaimed.

“What?”

“It’s one of the best restaurants in town! And probably one of the most expensive, too!”

“Oh… Really?”

“Merlin, you don’t invite a friend to this kind of restaurant, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh…”

Merlin looked at the map in front of him, lost. When Arthur had asked him if he was free on Saturday, Merlin had thought it was just another proposition to spend the evening watching films and eating take-out. Then Arthur had given him a note with the name and the address of the restaurant, asking Merlin to meet him there at eight. And then he had left the shop. If that had been a date, shouldn’t he have said something? You were supposed to give someone a notice when you asked them for a date, weren’t you?

Slowly, the implication of that invitation became clearer for Merlin.

“Arthur wants to go out with me?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know it already?” Gwen asked, nonplussed.

“What?”

“It was quite obvious. Even Morgana noticed it. The way he looks at you, the way he lets you touch him… He hates when people touch him.”

“He what?”

Merlin remembered all the evenings when Arthur and he had ended sprawled on each other.

“He likes you, Merlin. He really likes you…”

Merlin looked at the map again.

“I need to plan my travel. I can’t be late!”

Gwen smiled.

“Let me help you.”

***

In the end, all the preparations Merlin had made were useless. There had been an incident in South Kensington so Merlin had to take the Circle line in the other way… Of course he wasn’t the only one and the Tube was packed. He had to wait for the third one to be able to enter the carriage. He was going to be late, of course. But Arthur knew him so he would surely wait for him!

Slightly stressed, Merlin was trying to send a message to Arthur but he didn’t have enough signal.

When he finally reached Sloane Square, he was only ten minutes late. He ran to the restaurant.

It took him ten minutes to realize he was going in the wrong way. He decided to call Arthur only to find his phone battery had died. Merlin cursed and started running in the other direction, hoping Arthur would have waited for him.

When he reached the restaurant, breathless and sweaty, nobody waited in front so he decided to go inside. Arthur would have decided to drink something as he waited.

A waitress came for him.

“Good evening, sir. How can I help you?”

“I… I’m here to meet Mr Pendragon.”

“Oh, I’m really sorry but Mr Pendragon has left and cancelled his booking.”

“Oh… I… I see.”

Merlin left as fast as possible. He couldn’t believe it! He was just half an hour late and Arthur hadn’t waited! All the hopes he’d had in the past days were reduced to nothing.

When Gwen had opened his eyes about Arthur’s intentions, Merlin had questioned his own feelings and found that his relationship with Arthur was slowly growing towards something more than friendship. And if he was totally honest with himself, Merlin had to confess he had sometimes dreamed of Arthur in a not very innocent way.

But now, it didn’t matter anymore… Merlin walked slowly to the station, defeated, miserable.

When he came back to the flat, Gwen was still awake, watching TV in the lounge.

“Merlin? What are you doing here so early?”

He told her everything.

“Call him! I’m sure he will listen! You can’t just give up now!”

Merlin nodded and took Gwen’s phone to call Arthur. He ended on his voicemail.

“Arthur? It’s Merlin… I’m sorry. I wanted to come tonight but there was some problem with the Tube and… I was just half an hour late but the waitress told me you were gone… I’m really sorry. I hope we can go another time. So… Call me? Bye.”

Merlin put the phone on the coffee table and sighed.

***

Two days later, Arthur still hadn’t called back. Merlin had left him three other voice messages, had sent four emails.

“I’ve ruined everything,” Merlin whined, sitting on his couch between Morgana and Gwen.

“No! I’m sure he’ll change his mind!” Gwen reassured him.

“He’s just too proud!” Morgana added. “But he’s as dejected as you! He has even taken a day out of work!”

“But why isn’t he calling back, then?”

“I don’t know,” Gwen confessed.

That night, before going to sleep, Merlin checked his emails one last time. That was when he spotted Gwaine’s email. On a sudden impulse, he opened it and decided to answer.

_Hi Gwaine!_

_Sorry I didn’t answer before but I was quite busy._

_I must admit I was surprised when I saw your email. I really would like to talk more to you, though. I regret the way we split up…_

_I’m really happy that the salon runs well!_

_Say hello to Leon for me._

_And, if you want to come to London, you’re welcome! I live in a beautiful house with Gwen. She’s really kind and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you came for a few days._

_Bye!_

Merlin clicked on the send button and shut off his computer. When he went to bed, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Gwaine.

An hour later, Merlin put his phone back on the bedside table. When he fell asleep, he was smiling.

***

“Gwen? I… I invited an old friend to come to London… “

“Oh, that’s great! Sometimes you need to remember where you come from!”

“Hum… Yeah… So, I wondered… Can he live here for some time?”

“Of course! The friends of my friends are my friends!”

Merlin smiled and hugged Gwen.

“Thank you!”

[(Part two)](http://aeris444.livejournal.com/31865.html)


	2. Chapter 2

  
** 4\. Knightsbridge **

“Gwaine, this is Gwen, my housemate.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Gwaine mimicked a bow and took Gwen’s hand to kiss her knuckles. She smiled and giggled.

Gwaine was like that. Everybody fell under his spell in a matter of seconds. He was like a small puppy, cute but sometimes annoying though you couldn’t help but love him.

Gwen showed Gwaine the study where they had opened the sofabed.

“I hope you’ll be comfortable here.”

“That’s perfect! Thanks for welcoming me in your house like that.”

“It’s also Merlin’s house and, you know, my friends’ friends are my friends, too!”

They exchanged another smile and Gwaine put his bag on the bed. Then they all retreated to the living room and Merlin made them some tea. They talked for hours, Gwaine and Merlin telling Gwen everything about their life in the countryside, Gwen telling them how it was to grow up in London.

In the evening, they ordered some take-out and ate in front of the TV watching comedies.

Merlin was happy to have Gwaine there and he was even happier to see that he got along quite well with Gwen.

***

Merlin had taken two free days to go and visit the city with Gwaine. They went to all the most touristy places. They started by Buckhingham Palace where they watched the changing of the guard. Then they took the Tube to the British Museum. They decided to only visit the Antiquity rooms. For lunch, Merlin took Gwaine to one of the best places to eat fish and chips.

In the afternoon they went to Covent Garden and Hyde Park. They played with the squirrels, laughed and ended sprawled in the grass.

It was easy being with Gwaine. After all, they’d known each other for so long and had dated for a little more than two years.

In the end of the day, Merlin could remember why he had fallen in love with Gwaine. How much he liked his humour, how beautiful he was, how caring he could be.

Though, as they came back to the house, Merlin was relieved to be able to isolate himself in his room. He needed some time to think. After less than two days in London, Gwaine had already managed to mess with Merlin’s feelings. If Merlin was totally honest with himself, he had known it would end like that when he had asked Gwaine to come. He had wanted a distraction to forget about Arthur. But Merlin hadn’t expected to feel so good with Gwaine around.

That night, he didn’t sleep very well.

***

The next day, Merlin and Gwaine continued their tour of London. They came back early, tired from all this walking. Gwaine decided to go take a shower when Merlin stayed in the living room and watched whatever was on TV.

Gwen came back from work then and she joined Merlin on the couch.

“So, how was your day?”

“Great but tiring. It’s been a long time since I’ve walked that much!”

Gwen chuckled.

“You could ask Gwaine to rub your feet! I’m sure he would be happy to do it! And rub any other place you’d want him to!”

“Gwen!” Merlin exclaimed.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed he’s quite fond of you!”

“It’s not that simple.”

Merlin sighed and told Gwen about his past relationship with Gwaine.

“And? You hope to rekindle the flame?”

“I don’t know… I… I think, at first, I called him to help me forget Arthur.”

“I see…”

The fell silent. Merlin loved that Gwen was great at listening but never pressing him to talk.

They heard Gwaine come out of the bathroom.

“I’m going check my email!” he said.

They nodded and Merlin waited till he heard the door close.

“Gwen, have you heard from Arthur recently?”

“Not directly… But Morgana told me he isn’t really well at the moment.”

Merlin wasn’t happy to hear that but he couldn’t help to be relieved that he wasn’t the only one affected.

“He’s really sad, you know.”

“So… Why didn’t he call me?”

“Merlin… Arthur is… Is really proud and if he thinks you stood him up, he will never try again…”

Merlin sighed. He had already thought about that but if Arthur really cared about him, he should have overcome his pride!“I don’t know, Gwen… Our relationship hasn’t even started and we’ve already broken up.”

“You need to understand him, Merlin. Arthur is not like us. All his life he had done what was expected from him. His studies, his work at Camelot Inc…”

“But he loves his job!” Merlin interrupted.

“Of course but he hasn’t really had a choice, you know. His father expected him to follow his path. One day, Camelot Inc. will be Arthur’s. Nearly all his life has been planned. The only thing his father hasn’t planned was Arthur’s preference for men.”

“I… I didn’t know that.”

“I probably shouldn’t tell you about it but… It has been quite ugly when Arthur came out to Uther. Now he’s more or less okay with his son’s preference but Arthur is still quite unsure about himself in that area. And he had some bad experiences, too. People that went out with him only because of his name.”

“I’m not like that!” Merlin objected.

“I know, Merlin.”

“What should I do?”

“I can’t decide what to do for you, Merlin. There’s probably still hope for Arthur and you but if you don’t want to try…”

Merlin didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know if he wanted to try and save whatever the two of them could have. They didn’t even know if they would get along. Was it worth fighting for? Especially when he had Gwaine with whom he knew he could be happy? But was Gwaine really the one? When they decided to break up, Merlin had been sad but not really devastated, as if he had known it was meant to happen one day or another. And if Gwen had helped him understand Arthur better, he didn’t know if he was ready to forgive him.

“I don’t know…”

“Then, think about it a little more!”

“Yeah…”

Merlin kissed Gwen on the cheek.

“Thanks for listening to me, Gwen.”

“That’s why friends are for!”

They smiled to each other before Merlin retreated to his room. There, Gwaine was waiting for him, sitting on the bed.

“Gwaine?”

“I heard you talk to Gwen and I supposed you didn’t want me to interrupt.”

“Oh…”

Merlin hoped Gwaine hadn’t heard Gwen teasing him about the foot rub.

“Merlin, who’s Arthur?”

Merlin hesitated then he sat on the bed and took a deep breath. Whatever he would decide he wanted to be honest with the people he cared for. He didn’t want to keep the two sides of his life apart. So he told Gwaine about Arthur, their meeting, their strange relationship, the missed date.

“He’s a fool!” Gwaine exclaimed, “Letting go of a guy like you just because you were late to your first date!”

Gwaine stopped abruptly and a sad smile appeared on his lips.

“I suppose I was a fool back then, too… Letting you go just because I was jealous you decided to follow your dreams…”

“Gwaine… I…”

“Don’t say you’re sorry, Merlin. You don’t have to be. I should have let you go. We could have found a way, I could have come to visit… I should have fought for your love.”

Merlin didn’t answer. He wanted to tell Gwaine it wasn’t too late but he wasn’t sure he meant it.

“You’re still staying till next week?” Merlin finally asked when the silence between them grew uncomfortable.

Gwaine nodded.

“Ok.”

Gwaine leaned in and kissed Merlin’s cheek, then left the room.

***

The next day, Merlin was back to work but his mind wasn’t really on it. He was distracted, troubled. He made a lot of mistakes and Gaius was growing exasperated. He promised to be more careful.

In the afternoon, a man came to fetch Arthur’s order. It hurt to realise that Arthur was avoiding him like that.

“Merlin… What happened between you and Arthur?” Gaius asked as they were closing the shop.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me, Merlin. I know there is something! In the years he had been our customer, Arthur had never sent someone else to fetch his orders. So if you don’t want to talk to me about it, just say so.”

Merlin looked at his feet, ashamed.

“Sorry… It’s just I don’t know myself.”

“It’s alright, Merlin. If you want to talk about it some other time, you know I’m here.”

Merlin lifted his head and smiled.

“Thanks.”

***

On Saturday, Merlin excused himself to Gwaine and Gwen. He told them he had some shopping to do but they weren’t fooled.

This time, Merlin got lost on purpose. He took the Tube, not really looking where he was going, just changing when he felt like it, stopping when he liked the name of the station, going outside and walking around before going back underground.

It was like his long solitary walks in the forest in a way. Only the trees and bushes had been replaced by hurried people and concrete walls. Merlin’s goal was the same, though. Getting lost, losing track of time, being able to sort out his thoughts and feelings.

As the sun was setting down, Merlin stopped in Knightsbridge. When he came out of the station, he was faced with old buildings mixed with tall modern ones. It was intimidating but he knew why he had stopped there. He knew Arthur was living there even if he had never come here, he remembered seeing his address on one of the invoices. He had noticed that, of course, he was living in one of the most expensive place in London.

Then, expectably, Merlin realised he didn’t remembered the name of the street much less the number of the building where Arthur lived. But he hadn’t come here to go back without trying. He took his phone and called Gwen.

“Merlin? Where are you! We were getting worried.”

“I’m fine Gwen. I just needed some time by myself to think… Do… Do you know Arthur’s address?”

“Oh… I see… No, I don’t but do you want me to call Morgana?”

Merlin hesitated. Was it a sign, telling him it was a bad idea?

“Merlin?”

“Yes, it would be lovely.”

“Ok… I’ll ask her to text it to you.”

“Thanks Gwen.”

“Good luck Merlin.”

***

Fifteen minutes later, Merlin entered a huge building made of glass and steel. Exactly the place he had imagined Arthur would live in. He wasn’t surprised to find the “Pendragon” name on the penthouse doorbell. He pushed the button, his heart hammering in his chest.

The intercom buzzed and Merlin heard Arthur’s voice.

“Who’s there?”

“A-Arthur? It’s me… Merlin.”

An interference and then the intercom cut off.

Merlin sighed. Of course, Arthur didn’t want to talk to him. As Merlin was turning to go out, he heard the door unlock. He rushed to it and entered the main hall. He didn’t really look at the marble floor, the perfect plants, the shining doors of the lift. He just pushed the button for the penthouse, focused on thinking about what he would say to Arthur when they’d be face to face.

The ride to the last floor seemed never-ending but when the door opened, it was too soon for Merlin. He still didn’t have any idea of what he was going to say.

Arthur was there, waiting for him in his flat’s opened door. He was wearing a silk pyjama bottoms and nothing else. Merlin froze.

“Merlin? Are you going to come in or have you just come to try my lift?”

The gentle teasing tone was reassuring so Merlin followed Arthur into his flat. Of course, it was spacious, modern and immaculate. It was also strangely impersonal and that didn’t help Merlin’s awkwardness.

“Do you want something to drink?” Arthur asked like a perfect host.

Merlin shook his head, still following Arthur to the huge couch in the middle of the living room. They sat, each at an end of the couch. Merlin could see the city by the huge windows. He focused on trying to spot a building he knew.

“Merlin, are you going to tell me why you’re here?” Arthur asked a few minutes later.

Merlin kept his gaze away when he answered.

“I… I was hoping we could set another date.”

He heard Arthur’s deep breath of relief and finally looked at him to see the huge smile on his face.

“Of course.” Arthur simply said. “But only if you promise me to take a cab.”

And then, they laughed, letting go of all the frustration, the worries and the tension of the past days. Merlin didn’t know if he had made the right choice but he wanted to try. He didn’t want to have regrets. Arthur had hurt him but he had probably made him feel bad to. Arthur had probably thought Merlin was like the others, only wanting him for his name or his money and not respecting him for who he was. They would have to work on that, to talk about their insecurities but Merlin was ready for it. Arthur was worth trying.

 

 

 

 

** 5\. Louvre - Rivoli **

Merlin watched as the train left the platform. He was sad to see Gwaine leave but he knew it was better like this and Gwaine had promised to come back for Christmas.  
Merlin was convinced they would make it work. They would remain close friends. But he also knew that he had hurt Gwaine when he had chosen to give a chance to his relationship with Arthur.

When he came back to the house, Gwen, Arthur and Morgana were there. Merlin said hello but immediately retreated to his room, needing a little more time to cope with everything that changed in the past days.

He remembered that night at Arthur’s when they had decided to give it a go and forget about the missed date. Arthur had apologised for his reaction, had confessed being too proud but also unsure about himself as all his relationships had failed spectacularly.

Merlin had told him about Gwaine and how he had asked him to come to London when Arthur had ignored him. Then, of course, Arthur had asked him to choose and, at that moment, it had been one of the simplest decisions Merlin had had to take. He had leaned against Arthur and kissed him.

Merlin could still feel the shivers that kiss had caused. That kiss and all the others that had followed till they both had fallen asleep in Arthur’s couch.  
But then next day, the blessed feeling had receded when Merlin had realised he had to talk to Gwaine. He couldn’t let him hope for something that would never happen. He had already given him enough false dreams by inviting him to London. Arthur had asked if Merlin wanted him to accompany him but Merlin had declined.

As Merlin was remembering his heartfelt conversation with Gwaine, someone knocked on his door.

“Merlin? Can I come in?”

Arthur, of course. Merlin had wanted to be alone but now he was craving for Arthur’s arms around him so he just went to open the door and drew Arthur inside before closing it again and taking Arthur in his arms.

“Merlin? Are you okay?”

“Just hold me, please.”

Arthur obliged.

A few minutes later, he just murmured: “I promise I’ll do everything I can to make sure you don’t regret that decision.”

They didn’t move before Morgana came knocking at the door timidly.

“Guys… Hum… we… Hum, we’re getting hungry so… Do you plan going out of this room or…”

Arthur looked at Merlin who nodded.

“We’re coming, Morgana.”

Later, as they were finishing their pizza, joking and laughing, Merlin felt Arthur’s hand on his leg, like a reminder of his earlier promise. Merlin smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

***

Weeks were passing by and Merlin felt happier each day. He had the most perfect boyfriend he could dream of and now, he had even got the job of his dreams.

Of course, it was Arthur that had helped him get it. When he had heard there was a technician job available at Camelot Inc., he had immediately told Merlin about it and arranged an interview for him.

Predictably Merlin was late for the first interview and Arthur had to arrange another meeting. That second time, he insisted that Merlin took a cab to be on time.

In the end, Merlin got the job and Arthur and he celebrated it in the intimacy of Arthur’s flat, showing each other how happy they were to be together. That night, Arthur told Merlin he loved him and Merlin repeated his words, filled with emotion.

After that, everything went smoothly.

***

In February, as a double gift for their six months anniversary and Valentine’s Day, Arthur planned a trip to Paris.

When Arthur gave him the train tickets, Merlin squealed in delight. He had always wanted to go to Paris and it was the most romantic gesture anybody had ever done for him.

Merlin thanked Arthur with a shower of kisses then he started asking questions about the trip.

“When do we leave? Where is the hotel? What have you planned? How long are we staying?”

Arthur smiled and explained everything to Merlin. He had only booked the train and the hotel as he wanted Merlin to be able to visit everything he wanted.

Merlin then disappeared to his room, leaving a dumbfounded Arthur behind, only to reappear a few seconds later, holding his laptop.

“We need to plan everything! Come here!” he declared, sitting on the couch.

For the next hours, Merlin searched information on the Internet, planning every minute of their four-day trip.

“We need to go to the Louvre, of course! And Montmarte! Oh and we have to see the Eiffel tower and do some shopping on the Champs Elysées.”

Merlin enthusiasm was infectious and soon Arthur was sitting next to him, taking notes.

***

Merlin looked at the ceiling from where he was lying on the king size bed. The room was wonderful. It was more like a suite with a small sitting room, a huge bedroom and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi. Jacuzzi that Merlin was quite eager to try later. For the moment, though, he was waiting for Arthur to finish showering as they were getting ready for whatever dinner Arthur had planned for them. Merlin had decided what places they were going to visit but Arthur has insisted on taking care of the restaurants’ choices.

A few minutes later, Merlin heard the bathroom door open and Arthur came, wearing only a small towel around his hips. Was he really hoping to be on time if he kept distracting Merlin like this?

“Arthur,” Merlin moaned as his boyfriend leaned to retrieve his boxers from his suitcase.

“Go shower, Merlin, or we’re going to be late.”

“You’re such a tease!” Merlin groaned but he stood up nonetheless.

He couldn’t resist letting his hand roam on Arthur’s backside as he passed by on his way to the bathroom.  
***

Merlin couldn’t believe it. Arthur had really outdone himself! He had booked them a table at the “Jules Verne” on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. Merlin had never had the opportunity to dine in such a wonderful place. Of course, the cuisine was exquisite and each dish was accompanied by a glass of wine, chosen to enhance the flavour of the food.

The fact that, when he looked by the window, Merlin was able to see Paris, illuminated in the night, only made the moment more enchanting.

And when they had finished their meal, Arthur announced he had another surprise for Merlin.

“But I thought the dinner was my surprise?”

“Only a part of it. Come on.”

Arthur took Merlin’s hand as they left the restaurant. When they came back to the lift, Merlin was surprise to see they were going up.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see soon!” Arthur answered, putting a brief kiss on Merlin’s lips.

When they came out of the lift, Merlin nearly squealed. They were at the summit of the Tower and the view was breath-taking.

“Arthur! That’s wonderful!”

Merlin went to the fence to look at the view. The city under them was glowing with lights everywhere. Merlin felt Arthur arms close around him. It was really perfect.

“Merlin… Are you happy?” Arthur asked very softly.

“Of course, I am.”

They shared a kiss, trying to keep it chaste with all the other tourists around.

“Wait here,” Arthur said when they parted.

“But…”

“Just wait.”

Merlin looked at Arthur disappearing at the corner and decided to enjoy the view a little more.

Arthur came back a few minute later, holding two flutes of champagne.

“There is a champagne bar on the other side. So… Here you are.”

“Oh, Arthur!”

Merlin took the glass before kissing Arthur again. It was really the perfect romantic evening.

They huddled close, drinking slowly and enjoying the view in silence.

When their glasses were empty, Arthur took Merlin in his arms.

“Merlin… There is something I want to ask you.”

Merlin shivered, feeling Arthur breath against his neck.

“I know it’s perhaps a little soon but…”

Merlin held his breath. What was Arthur going to ask? It was clearly way too soon for some kind of commitment like marriage or something like that… So what?

“I wondered if... If you would like to live with me?”

Merlin turned to face Arthur, a bright smile on his face.

“Arthur! Of course, I’d love to!”

“Really? I know you don’t like my flat that much so… I was thinking we could look for a place we would both like.”

Merlin kissed Arthur more passionately this time, not caring if the tourists were looking at them. He was so happy.

“Arthur… Can we go back to the hotel so I can show you properly how happy I am?”

Even in the darkness, Merlin spotted the blush on Arthur’s cheeks.

“Let’s go,” he said, taking Merlin’s hand and leading him to the lift.

***

The next day, they decided to lighten their program and opted for a lie-in. After all, Merlin was really, really happy and he’d had to show that to Arthur quite clearly.  
After lunch, they decided to go to the Louvre. Merlin insisted to take the map and guide them. He knew he didn’t have the best sense of direction but he hated always being the one following. Arthur let him be and gave him the map.

Unsurprisingly, he soon regretted it. As they took the metro they found themselves going in the wrong way. By chance, Merlin noticed it quite soon and they only had to go two stations back. Then, as Merlin was clearly getting stressed and wanted to do well, he made them take the wrong line. Once again, they had to make a U-turn. And finally, as there was two stations near the museum, Merlin made them stop at the wrong one and they had to walk to reach their destination.

“I’m really useless,” Merlin sighed when they approached the entrance.

“No you’re not! You just don’t go well with maps and directions.”

Arthur put his arm around Merlin shoulders and kissed him on the temple.

“Merlin, please. Don’t pout. I want you to enjoy yourself, okay?”

Merlin groaned. He gave Arthur the map.

“Ok but take this! I don’t want to see another map like ever!”

Arthur smiled and Merlin soon got back to his usual happy and enthusiastic self.

He didn’t touch the map for the rest of their trip. They didn’t get lost again.

 

 

 

** 6\. Kew Gardens. **

Morgana was sitting on the couch, absent-mindedly stroking Kilga, the cat Arthur had bought Merlin on their first anniversary.

“Merlin… I don’t want to stress you but if you don’t hurry, we’re going to be late.”

A groan came from the bedroom and Morgana sighed.

“Merlin! Don’t start groaning! Do I need to remind you that you’re going to be engaged to my dear brother tonight and so I’ll become your sister-in-law?”

“Can’t I have just Arthur?” Merlin asked, his head poking from the bedroom’s door.

“No! And go take a shower! Leon is coming soon to do your hair!”

“I don’t want anybody to touch my hair!” Merlin grumbled as he walked to the bathroom.

“Then you shouldn’t have agreed to such a big party where all Arthur’s friends, relatives and work connections are invited.”

Merlin came out of the bathroom, shirtless.

“Do you really think I had a choice?”

Morgana chuckled.

“I suppose not. Go! Arthur will kill me if you’re late.”

“I still don’t understand why he asked you to be my baby sitter…”

“Because if you had to get ready and go to Kew Gardens by yourself, you’d probably have ended in Angel, tieless and disheveled.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Merlin pouted before disappearing into the bathroom again.

***

Merlin went outside on the little terrace surrounding the orangery. He still couldn’t believe that Arthur had hired the Kew Gardens’ Orangery for their engagement party. It was majestic! The big curved windows, the white walls and the marble floor. But what Merlin liked the most were the lights. They made foliage appear on the ceiling and it matched the rest of the décor with the small tables and chairs covered in ivy. Arthur had really done a wonderful job with this and even if Merlin knew he probably had Morgana and Gwen’s help, he was still glad to have trusted him with the organization of the party.

Merlin looked around him, enjoying the view of the glasshouses illuminated in the distance. They had taken some pictures in the Princess of Wales Conservatory, amidst the orchids and tropical plants. It was magical. Merlin took a deep breath, the fresh air helping him realise all this wasn’t a dream. In less than a year, Arthur and he would be married. They still hadn’t really talked about the practical side of the wedding as Arthur was busy setting up their engagement party but Merlin wondered how it could be better than this.

“Merlin?”

Merlin turned to face his fiancé.

“Here you are!”

“Were you missing me?” Merlin asked as Arthur circled his waist with his arms and put his chin on his shoulder.

“Not really, no.” Arthur teased, “But Mrs. Carlson wanted to talk to you.”

Mrs Carlson was the wife of one of Arthur’s father associate and, earlier, when Arthur had introduced Merlin to her, she had started asking him about their life together. Who was doing the dishes, who was paying for the grocery, who would inherit when one of them would die… She wasn’t really homophobic but her questions really made Merlin uncomfortable. After all his life with Arthur wasn’t that much different from any other couple’s. Fortunately, Arthur had come to save him from the old woman’s misplaced curiosity before she could ask who was the “lady” in bed.

“I hate you.” Merlin answered. He turned to kiss Arthur, though.

They stayed cuddled together for a moment, enjoying the peace after the rush of the party.

“So, you’re not regretting having trusted me with the organization?” Arthur asked.

“No… But I know the girls helped you,” Merlin added, teasing.

“Hey! I never say I wouldn’t ask for some help! But the venue was my choice! I knew you missed the forest and the nature since you’re living in London so I thought you’d like this place.”

“And you were right. It’s wonderful. The whole party was perfect, thank you Arthur.”

They kissed again, happy and relaxed.

“We should probably go back to our guests,” Arthur suggested a little later.

“Not yet… I want to keep my fiancé for myself a little longer,” Merlin begged.

Arthur wasn’t hard to convince as a simple kiss in his neck was enough to make him yield.

“Merlin?”

“Yes?”

“I’ve been thinking about the wedding.”

“Already?”

“Yeah… But…”

“You’re cute,” Merlin said before kissing Arthur again, stopping his groan.

“So I was saying,” Arthur continued when they parted, “Would you like if we got married in Knight Wood?”

“What?”

“I… I thought you might like to organize the wedding there but if you…”

 

“Of course I’d like it! But I thought you’d want to do it in London, you know, to invite all your colleagues and your father’s relations…”

Arthur looked at Merlin with such an intensity Merlin felt a shiver running along his spine.

“Merlin, I’m marrying you because I love you, not to please my father. I already invited all the people he thinks are important tonight. For my wedding I’ll do as I want… As we want.”

Merlin didn’t know what to say to that so he opted for a passionate kiss.

“Is that a yes, then?” Arthur asked, breathless when they ended the kiss.

“Of course it is! And my mother will be so happy!”

They started talking about the wedding, exchanging ideas and wants. But soon they realized they better go back inside if they didn’t want to talk about it all night and neglect their guests.

When they came back inside, the DJ had switched to slower songs. Merlin watched the dance floor to spot Gwaine dancing with his new boyfriend, Percival. He was a tall guy, working with Gwen at the Children Clinic. They had met during one of Gwaine’s visits to London. Percival had a heart as big as his biceps and his shyness was nearly pathological. But against all odds, it seemed that Gwaine had managed to break his shell. They were clearly happy together and Gwaine was thinking of moving permanently to London.

On the other side, Hunith was dancing with Arthur’s father, Uther. She was blushing, probably a little tipsy.

Gwen was dancing with her brother Elyan. He was studying in Cambridge but came to visit her sister frequently and had become a part of their group of friends.  
In a corner of the room, Gaius was talking to Lance, one of Arthur’s colleagues. Probably about computers.

When Merlin had left Knight Wood and the small house in the forest he shared with his mother, he had feared going to London would take him away from his family. Now, he realised it only made him a member of a larger one.

“What are you thinking about, love?” Arthur asked, noticing Merlin was daydreaming.

“About you… Us… All our friends and how happy I am to have you all around me.”

“And you’re stuck with us! Now that I’ve caught you, I’ll never let you get lost again.”

Merlin laughed, used to Arthur teasing him about his habit of losing his way.

“You never complained about me getting lost during our trip to Wales,” Merlin noted, remembering the time when Arthur had followed Merlin’s directions and ended in a small hotel, in the middle of the countryside when they wanted to reach Carmarthen. In the end they had stayed there for three days, enjoying the landscape as much as the bed.

“Now but as long as I got lost with you, it’s ok for me.”

“That’s a deal, then. From now on, we’re getting lost together!”

“Lost in love!” Arthur added.

“That was really cheesy,” Merlin teased.

“Shut up, Merlin!”

_The end_


End file.
